Obama Cartoon E-mailer Resigns from Staten Island Govt. Job

March 3, 2009

Salvatore Ballarino, who provoked controversy in Staten Island by forwarding an allegedly racist email featuring Barack Obama and John McCain, has resigned from the Staten Island Community Education Council, borough president James Molinaro announced today. The Staten Island Advance shows part of the email, which is not, as we thought yesterday, an actual cartoon, but more of a Gerald Gardner photo-funnies thing, albeit with more provocative dialogue (“I have black people in my family tree.” “Really? That’s great.” “If I recall, they’re still hanging there.” [Obama makes grim face]). Advance commenters generally consider the resignation “bullsh!t.”